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Thatshecared.
“Right. Yeah.” Looking down at their joined hands, Diana cleared her throat. “Did he say anything else? About—” She took a deep breath. “Us?”
Sonia hesitated, because what Brendan had told her was very personal. “He said that he loves you, but he doesn’t want to be with you.”
“Of course.” Diana laughed, sounding relieved. “It’s never been like that with Brendan. We wouldn’t be good together. But you—”
“Me,” Sonia repeated.
“Both of you. You’re perfect together.”
“Okay, okay,” Sonia began, brushing off Diana’s urgent stare.
“No, listen. You’reperfecttogether.” Diana gave Sonia’s hands a shake. “You’re both completely weird, quirky, specific, amazing people. I don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone who fits with either of you the way you fit with each other.”
Sonia blinked. “Don’t lay it on too thick, or I might run away again.”
“I’m laying it on as thick as possible, because I want you to listen. What you have — don’t throw it away. You need to promise me that you’ll believe in it.”
Sonia’s mouth opened and closed. “Why does this matter so much to you?”
Diana’s cheeks looked even pinker beneath her blush. “Let’s just say I’m invested.”
The knock on the door came again, followed by an impatient voice. “Is the bride ready? Everyoneneedsto be in their placesright now.”
“It’s Chelsea the wedding planner,” Diana whispered. “We better get out there.”
Sonia squeezed Di’s hands one last time. “I love you.”
Diana gave her a quick, fierce hug, heedless of her veil, all warm skin and perfume. “You’ve never said that before. I love you too.” Casting one last glance at the mirror, she opened the door. “Come on. Let’s go get married.”
31
Sunday
5:00 p.m.
Music filtered from the closed double doors of the wedding hall.
Brendan stood in place behind the other groomsmen and bridesmaids, waiting to walk down the aisle. He didn’t feel the need to manage anything, to spread good vibes, or to say a single word. In the last minutes before Ian and Diana got married, he wanted to just be.
An empty space waited on his right. Sonia was closeted somewhere with Di, and the wedding planner had run off to find them.
Hunter, who stood in front of him, battling in a thumb war with Marissa, turned around and brushed down the front of Brendan’s tux.
“Looking good, B,” he whispered hoarsely. “I heard you had the worst hangover of your life today.”
Brendan smiled. He knew rumors were going around that he’d fallen apart, but they didn’t touch him.
Someone kneaded his shoulders from behind — his brother.
“Don’t worry,” Ian told Hunter with a crooked grin. “Brendan was in good hands.”
“Good hands, huh?” Hunter snickered. “With that cute little maid of honor?” Marissa coughed and elbowed him, and he gave her an injured look. “What? She’s scary, but cute.”
It was probably best for Hunter’s general health and safety that Sonia wasn’t around to hear that, Brendan thought.
Just then, a warm arm slipped through his.
